Process and apparatus for the continuous manufacture of boxes comprising a cardboard sheath folded flat around an inner tubular lining



2, 1967 M. BERGHGRACHT 3,336,846

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF BOXES COMPRISING A CARDBOARD SHEATH FOLDED FLAT AROUND AN INNER TUBULAR LINING 3 heets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1964 Fig.4

v INV'EN TOR: /%mus Bsaqu mA cw T Aug. 22, 1967 M. BERGHGRACHT 3,336,345

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF BOXES COMPRISING A CARDBOARD SHEATH FOLDED FLAT AROUND AN INNER TUBULAR LINING Filed July 14, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. M. BERGHGRACHT 3,336,846

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF BOXES COMPRISING A CARDBOARD SHEATH FOLDED FLAT AROUND AN INNER TUBULAR LINING 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 14, 1964 Fig.7

Fig. 8

United States Patent 3 336,846 PROCESS AND APPAIiATUS FOR THE CONTINU. ()US MANUFACTURE OF BOXES COMPRISING A CARDBOARD SHEA'IH FOLDED FLAT AROUND AN INNER TUBULAR LINING Marius Berghgracht, Le Vieux Logis, Place Joyale, Vineuil St. Firmiu, France Filed July 14, 1964, Ser. No. 382,514 Claims priority, application Luxembourg, July 18, 1963,

44,0 13 Claims. (Cl. 9336.01)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is known to continuously manufacture boxes comprising a cardboard sheath folded flat around an inner lining or tube of paper or the like. For convenience, the term paper as used herein also includes materials such as aluminium foil, heat-scalable film, heatsealable, hermetic, plasticised and treated complexes and other substances,

In one known process for continuously manufacturing boxes of the kind specified from two continuous webs of paper and cardboard fed from reels, the paper Web is folded on itself and sealed lengthwise around a former to form the inner tube, while the cardboard web is first partly folded along two parallel longitudinal scored lines or fold lines so as to have a cross-section in the shape of an open U, then folded flat around the sealed inner tube while the latter is still disposed around the former. Since cardboard is a fairly rigid substances and the cardboard web is always likely to make small irregular lateral movements, it is difiicult to fold the cardboard correctly around a rigid former along the marked-out longitudinal fold lines, and special steps must be taken to position the cardboard web correctly relatively to the a former for folding therearound.

It is an object of the. invention to obviate these disadvantages. According to the invention, a previously formed free inner tube is brought into contact with that zone of the cardboard web which is disposed between two 5 longitudinal scored lines about which it is to be folded flat, whereafter the cardboard web is folded flat along such lines and closed longitudinally while bearing by its outer face against a support. Folding is therefore done without any former, so that there is no risk of misforming the longitudinal folds of the cardboard and no special action need to taken to adjust the position of the cardboard web relatively to a former. Also, the machine for performing the process is greatly simplified. Also, the inner tube is free and is readily and automatically fitted into the cardboard sheath while the same is being folded flat.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the main part of a machine according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. ?2 is a corresponding perspective view;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views in side elevation of two embodiments of an apparatus for producing a multi-layer corrugated cardboard web which can be treated directly in the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevation showing the connection between the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 or 4 and the main part of a machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG, 6 is a view in side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a detail of the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are an end view and a top view partially in section, thereof, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, an inner tube 1 of paper, Pliofilm' or similar material can be formed in any appropriate fashion, for instance, by a web being folded and welded along its length around a former, one end 2 of which can be seen in FIG. 2. The welding is performed, for instance, by means of a preheating bar 3 and welding rollers 4.

A cardboard web 5 is formed with scored lines A, B, C, D corresponding to the folds which will subsequently be formed by the box edges when the box is open for filling. In practice, the cardboard web 5 can also be formed with any required cut-outs, inter alia to form the box closure flaps. The lines A, C bound the zone over which the tube 1 is to be applied before the cardboard is folded flat. Folding along the lines A, C is initated by the cardboard web 5 passing over an arcuate guide 6, usually called an arch, which raises the lateral. parts disposed outside the lines A and C so that the web leaving the arch 6 resembles an open U in cross-section. The web 5 is then folded flat along the lines A and C, for instance, by means of a set of rollers 7 which fold the edges of the web, the required backing being provided by rollers 8 disposed below the web 5 which is therefore completely unsupported along its path between the arch 6 and the rollers 7, 8. The previously formed tube 1 is brought into contact with the web 5 before the latter is folded fiat. In the example shown, the tube 1 is introduced between the arch 6 and that zone of the web 5 which is disposed between the lines A and C, the tube 1 and the web 5 being guided over respective rollers 9, 10 disposed higher than the arch 6. As a variant, the tube 1 can be introduced after the web 5 has passed over the arch 6, as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2; the tube 1 therefore passes from the roller 9 to a roller 11 disposed downstream of the arch 6 very near the central part AC of the web 5. The raised marginal portions of the web 5 therefore provide automatic adjustment of the position of the tube 1. After the folding flat of the web 5, the resulting cardboard sheath is closed longitudinally by sticking or in some other appropriate fashion, whereafter the complete assembly is cut up into sections of an appropriate length for the dimensions of the subsequent boxes. If required, some appropriate form of local sticking can be provided between the inner paper tube and the cardboard sheath.

For subsequent filling the boxes must be opened by bending along the lines A, B, C, D. To facilitate opening, something which is desirable if the boxes are to be used in automatic packaging machines, the invention provides to also effect a folding flat of the cardboard web 5 along the lines B and D. To this end, the Web 5 passes first over an arch 12 which initiates folding along the lines B and D, whereafter the web is folded fiat along the lines B and D, for instance, by means of a double set of rollers 13, 14 similar to the set of rollers 7, 8. The folded Web is then opened out flat again while travelling along the 0 path which brings it to the roller 10. Another advantage of*providing this second arch 12 is that the web 5 is guided transversely before reaching the arch 6.

The invention provides a very advantageous embodiment of the arcuate guides, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 68' which disclose a double guide which can be used instead of the arch 6 in FIG. 2. The double guide comprises two inclined substantially trapezoidal plates 30, 31 which are spaced apart from one another by members 32 and interconnected by screws, a gap being left between the plates through which the tube 1 can pass freely. A plate 33 forming an obtuse angle with the plates 30, 31 is secured to the plate 30 by a bracket 34. The plates 31, 33 form the arch for folding the cardboard along the lines A and C. At their adjacent edges the said plates are narrower than the distance between the lines A and C, but the plate 33 widens continuously until its width is equal to the last-mentioned distance. The cardboard web is therefore always folded along the required lines (A and C) even if the cardboard web makes a slight lateral movement when being brought to the arcuate guide. Also, the tube 1 is a satisfactory fit on the zone AC of the cardboard web which is partly folded into a gutter shape-that is, a U-shaped crosssection-when it leaves the plate 33, thereafter to be folded fiat, for instance, by rollers 7, 8 (FIG. 2).

The arcuate guide (more particularly the plates 30, 31, 33), in order that its width may be adjusted to suit various box sizes, is embodied as two symmetrical halves as shown in FIGS. 6-8. Each member 34 is secured to a support member 35 and the two support members can be moved along rods 36, 37, 38 for this adjustment.

If the plate 31 and the spacers 32 are omitted, a simple guide results which is formed by the plates 30, 33 and which forms an improved guide of use instead of the guide 12 shown in FIGS. 1-2.

The invention also provides a simple process for continuously manufacturing packages with a corrugated cardboard sheath. Conventionally, single-layer or multi-layer corrugated cardboard is cut into separate flat blanks before being associated with an inner paper lining, whereafter the blanks are folded around the lining to form the actual casing, so that manufacture is complicated, very difficult and very expensive, inter alia as regards sticking the lining to the sheath in the correct position. The invention obviates these disadvantages by combining the various layers of corrugated cardboard in direct association with make-up of the packing. To this end, one or more single-side-corrugated cardboard webs and one or more webs of paper, for instance, kraft paper or some other appropriate material in sheet form, of the same width as or wider than the corrugated cardboard, are continuously assembled by sticking and/or impregnation with thermosetting substances.

Each corrugated cardboard web can be formed by a number of basic webs spaced apart from one another and together providing the required total width, so that corrugated cardboard can be saved at some parts of the complex corrugated web. Advantageously, at least some of the spaces between the basic webs are disposed at places where longitudinal scorings will subsequently be made in the complex web. The paper web or webs can be disposed outside or possibly inside the complex web. They can be impregnated or covered by a plastic coating, and a paper web outside the complex web can receive printing. The resulting complex web is given continuous partial drying or, in the case of impregnation, a polymerisation. If coated paper webs wider than the corrugated cardboard are used, the laterally projecting paper parts can, if required, be subsequently welded continuously; such parts may or may not be turned back, inter alia to protect the piece of cardboard against moisture or to provide an air mattress inside the web. The longitudinal scored lines are then formed in the complex web and the required cuts are made therein, whereafter the complex web is folded flat around a tubular jacket or lining placed in contact therewith, then cut up into sections which are finish-dried. The step of folding the web flat around the .4 tubular lining can be performed in any appropriate fashion but is, with advantage, performed as hereinbefore described.

FIGS. 3-5 diagrammatically show two possible forms of performing the process. Reels 15, 16 deliver the required number of single-side-corrugated cardboard webs-two in the particular examples shown. As can be seen in FIG. 4, a single web delivered from a reel 15 can be replaced by a number of spaced-apart webs, as 15a, 15b, 15c and 15a. The corrugated cardboard Webs are stuck at places 17, 18; a reel 19 delivers a paper web which is coated with a thermoplastic material by an appropriate device 20 (FIG. 3) or printed, in from one to four colours, by an appropriate device 21 (FIG. 4). The device 20 comprises an oven 20a for drying the plastic coating, and cooled silicone-coated calendering rolls 2%. In the case shown in FIG. 3 the paper web is disposed inside the packing, and in the case shown in FIG. 4 the paper web is disposed outside the packing. The complex Web 22 (or 23) is partly dried, for instance, to about 75%, in an oven 24, then has the longitudinal lines scored in it at a place 25 (FIG. 5) and the transverse scores formed in it at a place 26, whereafter the required cuts are made at a place 27, inter alia to form closure flaps for the subsequent box. The position of the elements 25, 26, 27 can be adjusted to suit the format of the subsequent boxes. A tubular lining 1 is then brought into contact with the web 22 or 23; the tube 1 can, for instance, be formed as described with reference to FIG. 1 from a web delivered by a reel 28. The corrugated cardboard web 22 or 23 is then folded fiat around the tube 1 in some appropriate fashion (not shown), for instance, in a similar way, but more horizontal so far as the complex corrugated web is concerned, to what was described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2., whereafter the corrugated cardboard web can be closed longitudinally by sticking or stapling or clipping or the like. The assembly is finally cut at a place 29 to give sections forming individual fiat-folded packages which are then given final drying treatment.

Corrugated cardboard packages can therefore be manufactured continuously by a very simple installation. The corrugated cardboard can be scored and folded very readily because these steps are performed on corrugated cardboard which is in web form and still fairly wet. The importance of the drying apparatus in the actual production of the corrugated cardboard complex is therefore reduced considerably. Also, special adhesives or resins, inter alia plastic adhesives or thermosetting resins, can be used in the process to stick the various layers of the complex corrugated cardboard to one another, with a View to better marking and retention of the scored-lines and to increased strength and moisture resistance of the treated corrugated cardboard, the same not being completely hardened during the scoring, cutting and formation of the casing.

- What is claimed is:

1. In a process of making lined boxes, the steps of forming a fiat-folded continuous inner liner tube,

forming a fiat, continuous and moving cardboard web into gutter shape,

introducing the inner tube into the gutter substantially at the point of gutter formation,

folding the web gutter into fiat encompassing relation to the inner liner tube in spaced relation to the point of tube introduction to allow the tube to seek a predetermined lateral position within the gutter prior to flat folding of the web,

and then cutting the web and enclosed liner into predetermined lengths.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the cardboard web, before being folded into a gutter shape, is folded on itself along two other longitudinal scored lines and then opened out flat again.

3. A process for the continuous manufacture of boxes, including the steps of continuously assembling at least one single-side-corrugated cardboard web and at least one paper web by sticking with thermosetting adhesive, partly drying the thus obtained complex web, forming in the complex web longitudinal scored fold lines corresponding to the edges of the subsequent box and transverse foldlines, making the required cuts in the complex web, folding the cardboard web into a gutter shape along two of said longitudinal scored lines and bringing a previously formed free inner tube into contact with that zone of the complex cardboard web which is located between said two longitudinal scored lines, freely conveying the assembly formed by the so pre-folded complex web and the said tube, folding said complex web flat around said tube along said two lines and closing longitudinally said complex Web, and cutting the so obtained assembly into sections each forming a box blank.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein at least one said single-side corrugated cardboard web is replaced by a number of smaller webs transversely spaced apart from one another, at least some of the spacings being disposed at places where there will be longitudinal scor ings of the complex web.

5. A process according to claim 3, wherein coated paper webs wider than the corrugated cardboard are used, the paper parts which extend laterally beyond the cardboard being welded continuously.

6. Apparatus for the continuous manufacture of boxes (or box blanks) comprising a cardboard sheath folded flat around an inner tubular lining, said apparatus comprising means for forwarding a cardboard web formed with longitudinal scored fold lines corresponding to the edges of the subsequent box, an arcuate guide to raise the side zones of the cardboard web along two of said fold lines about which it is to be folded flat, means for forwarding a previously formed inner tube to be used as said tubular lining, means for bringing said tube into contact with the portion of the cardboard web between said two lines, the guide being followed at some dis tance by elements for folding said zones partially the one on the other above the inner tube, support elements being disposed below such part of the web opposite the said folding elements.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a guide roller arranged downstream of the arcuate guide for bringing the inner tube very near that zone of the cardboard web which lies between the lines about which it is to be folded fiat.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the arcuate guide is preceded at some distance by a second arcuate guide to initiate the folding of the cardboard web along two other longitudinal folding lines, the second guide being followed by means for folding the web flat along such other folding lines, the last-mentioned folding means being followed in turn by a roller over which the cardboard web moves so as to be opened out fiat again before reaching the said first arcuate guide.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said arcuate guide comprises two inclined substantially trapezoidal spaced apart plates, between which said tube is intended to pass, the first plate being connected to a third plate forming an obtuse angle therewith, whereas the second plate is a guide plate along which the cardboard web is intended to be led, the adjacent edges of the three plates being narrower than the distance between the said two folding lines, the said third plate widening until its width is equal to said distance.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second arcuate guide comprises a substantially trapezoidal plate connected to a second plate forming an obtuse angle therewith, the adjacent ends of said plates being narrower than the distance between the folding lines about which the cardboard web is to be folded flat, the said second plate widening until its width is: equal to said distance.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the arcuate guide is divided longitudinally into two symmetrical halves having an adjustable mutual spacing.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the said second arcuate guide is divided longitudinally in two symmetrical halves having an adjustable mutual spacing.

13. Apparatus for the continuous manufacture of cardboard boxes (or box blanks) comprising a cardboard sheath folded flat around an inner tube, the apparatus comprising means for forwarding at least one singlesidecorrugated cardboard web, means for forwarding at least one paper web, means for continuously assembling said webs by sticking with thermosetting adhesive, a drier to partly dry the thus formed complex web, means for scoring longitudinal and transverse folding lines therein, means for forming the required cuts in the complex web, means for partially folding said complex web into a gutter shape about two of its longitudinal folding lines, means for forwarding a previously formed inner tube and bringing it into contact with the complex web between its two said longitudinal folding lines, means for freely conveying (on some distance) the so formed assembly of the partially folded web and the tube, and means for folding the complex web flat around the tube and longitudinally closing said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1955 Great Britain. 4/ 1960 Great Britain.

BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A PROCESS OF MAKING LINED BOXES, THE STEPS OF FORMING A FLAT-FOLDED CONTINUOUS INNER LINER TUBE, FORMING A FLAT, CONTINUOUS AND MOVING CARDBARD WEB INTO GUTTER SHAPE, INTRODUCING THE INNER TUBE INTO THE GUTTER SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE POINT OF GUTTER FORMATION, FOLDING THE WEB GUTTER INTO FLAT ENCOMPASSING RELATION TO THE INNER LINER TUBE IN SPACED RELATION TO THE POINT OF TUBE INTRODUCTION TO ALLOW THE TUBE TO SEEK A PREDETERMINED LATERAL POSITION WITHIN THE GUTTER PRIOR TO FLAT FOLDING OF THE WEB, AND THEN CUTTING THE WEB AND ENCLOSED LINER INTO PREDETERMINED LENGTHS. 